SOUTH CITY • Imagine coach Tony Irons kept looking at the clock, wondering how in the world he could speed it up.
The Imagine boys basketball team put up a dozen before Gateway Tech scored its first point. But as time ticked away late in the fourth quarter, Gateway had rallied to tighten things up and Irons was watching the clock and the scoreboard.
“The clock never runs fast enough in those situations,” the Imagine boys basketball coach said.
The Bears did find their composure and broke the Jaguars press in the last 25 seconds to seal the 66-56 victory and lock up the Class 4 District 4 championship Thursday night at DuBourg. It’s the second consecutive district title for Imagine (20-7, No. 10 small school).
“It feels the same,” Irons said of winning back-to-back district crowns. “We have a couple of guys that didn’t get to experience this last year. It’s the same feeling just with a different group of guys.”
One of those guys is standout guard Kevin Baker. The rangy Baker led Imagine with 16 points, including a 3-pointer at the final buzzer, and knocked down another clutch free throw late in regulation to give the Bears a seven-point lead with just over a minute remaining. He went one-of-two on those late freebies, but he hit the one the Bears had to have.
“Had to have it,” Irons said. “He’s been clutch.”
Point guard Martavain Payne returned to the starting lineup for the first time since late January. The 6-foot-1 Payne, who made his return to the court in Tuesday’s semifinal win over Miller Career, scored 15 points Thursday despite a jump shot that’s so rusty is squeaks.
“I’ve got to,” Payne said with a smile when asked if he was going to shake off that rust the next few days of practice. “The first game back was hard.”
The Bears will get a few days to practice before they play in the Class 4 sectional Wedneday at Jefferson College. The time off will be allow the Bears to get some time to practice -- and to get treatment. Injuries have been bugging the Bears. More than half the players had ice on different parts of their bodies after Tuesday’s semifinal win.
“We’ve been battling injuries the whole season,” Irons said.
Gateway Tech (15-11) gave itself a chance to win in the end, but it was too late. The Jaguars missed their first four free throws and turned the ball over in the first quarter. That, coach Tyrone Jones said, was a killer.
“If we hit our free throws we win that game,” Jones said. “Imagine had an excellent scouting report on us, and they came to play. We never stopped fighting. That’s all you ask from your team.”
Andrenos Powell scored led the Jaguars with 15 points. Sam Taylor scored 14 and Paul Rice 10.
